Those who attended the dedication service for the "Field of Flags" last Sunday noticed that I was attired a little differently. Since 2002, I've served as a civilian chaplain to merchant seamen in the ports and harbors of New England. While we generally wear civilian clothes when conducting this ministry, in official capacities we are to wear the contemporary version of the traditional uniform. [Even though I think it makes me look like "the Orkin Man."]

Sometimes it's easier to refer to those whom I serve as members of the "merchant marine", as that now-disused title is more familiar than any contemporary one. [Also, the "Department of Transportation Maritime Administration" is a bit of a mouthful.] This sometimes leads to a second question: What's the difference between the "merchant marine" and the United States Marine Corps? That's an easy one.

These are members of the USMC:

These may be considered members of the merchant fleet:

See, that was easy.

[Marines are served by the Chaplain Corps of the U.S. Navy, by the way.]

More fun: Play "Spot the Rector" in the photo below. Hint: Don't look for eyeglasses.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

This week Peter does more than preach the Word, John of Patmos is shown the eternity that is present in belief, and Jesus answers yet another snarky question. All this plus the literary quality found in the mushrooms of the Delphic Oracle.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Actually, Mrs. Rector and I planted it earlier this week, but still, I offer the Rectory a Buddleia, also known as "the Butterfly Bush". It appears in the photo next to the juniper we planted right before the ground got hard in November. [According to Celtic folklore, junipers chase away evil spirits.]

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I can't recall if this is Earth Day or Secretaries' Day. It may be neither; it may be both. It may, for all I know, be Earth Secretaries's Day. Or "Keep your secretary green Day" or "Make your secretary mow your lawn Day" or something equally obtuse.

I do know that today is the Feast of Anselm, and that's much more important to me and to the development of our faith than any other, er, "holiday".

Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury and one of the most profound thinkers of the Middle Ages, died on this day in 1109, around the age of 76. He is considered the third greatest theologian of Western Christianity, alongside Augustine and Aquinas.

Anselm attained this status for his argument that faith is the precondition of knowledge (credo ut intelligam), for his "satisfaction theory" of the atonement ("No one but one who is God-made-Man can make the satisfaction by which Man is saved") and for his ontological argument for God's existence.

The latter simply recognizes that, if there is no God, there could be no rational discussion of God's existence. In other words, one cannot make an argument that dismisses the existence of something that doesn't exist.

In addition to his academic work, Anselm was also politically important in seeing that the English church played a greater role in its society and served as one of the checks on the power of the king.

Almighty God, you raised up your servant Anselm to teach the Church of his day to understand its faith in your eternal Being, perfect justice, and saving mercy: Provide your Church in every age with devout and learned scholars and teachers, that we may be able to give a reason for the hope that is in us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever. Amen.

3. Reduce the number of people coming forward to receive communion - After steps 1 and 2, this becomes real easy. Perhaps mass excommunication would be the best way to complete this, as it sometimes takes thirty whole seconds for one person to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Think of the time saved!

4. Eliminate announcements - After steps 1, 2, and 3, when the congregation has been reduced to about 6 or so, and there is no one to do anything anyway, announcements will be unnecessary.

You see, it's simple. It's not evangelism or even a valid way to live the Gospel, but at least you don't have to waste time on a Sunday morning. Y'know, salvation is great and all, but we all have important things to do on Sundays. Hmmm, maybe we can build a drive-through communion window with an automatic wafer launcher....

Or we can have a real church with real music, the proclaimed word of God, a growing population, and a greater number of things with which people may become involved [of course, that means announcements]; all for the investment of just 70 minutes a week.

Monday, April 19, 2010

My photo for Earth Day, which is sometime this week. I don't really keep track of this "holiday". It seems designed for folks who don't dig, plant, nurture, or even ramble through woods. [Not to mention fish or, yes, I'm going to say it, hunt.]

An event such as this is great for the preaching, the music, to revel in our liturgical tradition, and, not the least, to witness the most remarkable of collection of, um, "creative" vestments you ever saw. Some examples from the past may be found below. I'll offer a full report on Sunday.

Friday, April 16, 2010

This message arrived from a source unknown in reference to a subject unknown. Obviously, it is a mis-addressed e-mail meant for another rector in another parish somewhere in Anglicanism, but I'm delighting in its mondo obscura:

"Organicsally functioning out of neighbors helping one another to what about the Christian Acountant is the way the inquiiry should evolve. At that point, if I can help please whistle."

This may be my new mission statement. Although, it kind of makes me afraid to whistle....

[I'm awarding an official Christ Church No-Prize to the person who gets the photo reference.]

...for the new bishop's coronation consecration. Information for those attending or participating may be found at the link provided below. We have a banner in the procession, the Presiding Bishop will, naturally, be in attendance, and the preacher is Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Prize laureate [and a former seminary professor of your rector's. Yes, I'm a name-dropper. I learned it from my ordained colleagues.]

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Yeah, I know that's not big news for most people, but I haven't actually taken a purposeful walk since before my tendon injury nine weeks ago. I got as far as one half mile and without much support from the cane.

Anyway, a poem popped in my head while I was strolling. It's William Wordsworth's "The Tables Turned" [I think; it may have a slightly different title. What am I, an English teacher?]

Saturday, April 10, 2010

This week Peter and the disciples learn to question authority all on their own, John of Patmos begins his notorious book of scripture, and the disciples in the Gospel of John test the locks. All this plus the infamous nightclub fuses.

Remember that we are holding our usual 8am service at Christ Church and joining with the pilgrims at Roxbury Congregational Church at 10:30am. I'm preaching at both services.

We thank you, heavenly Father, that you have delivered us from the dominion of sin and death and brought us into the kingdom of your Son; and we pray that, as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Almighty Father, who gave your only Son to die for our sins and to rise for our justification: Give us grace so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be dominion and praise for ever and ever. Amen.

Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that we who celebrate with awe the Paschal feast may be found worthy to attain to everlasting joys; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

As you know, or have figured out, Holy Week is of such importance and just plain busy-ness that writing new posts just isn't done. Also, it's good to have the weekly schedule kept at the top of the page since we average, at the rectory alone, about 6-8 calls a day asking about our Holy Week schedule.

That doesn't mean things haven't been happening, though. In archeology alone, something in which a whole bunch of parishioners are now knowledgeable and interested, we have a number of things to relate. There's also a silly sign to note. Maybe even a commentary of two, once I recover from the effect of too many spoken, read, composed. or sung words during the past week. A day or two in the workshop or surf casting on the Sound cures that pretty quickly. Not to mention dealing with the effects of the Nor'easter on the house that Mrs. Rector and I have down on the Connecticut coast. [I'm thinking of launching the boat in the basement, but it may not be beamy enough. The boat, that is.]

Anyway, thanks for the great Holy Week and the welcome response from those who chose to attend even the weekday services. I'll have some attendance figures later.